Electronic devices such as power strips have been used in the vicinity of desks and tables and have been used in environments having exposed boards present such as construction environments, shops, garages, and the like. It is known to attach electronic devices such as power strips to the edges of desks, tables, and boards, for instance, and various mechanisms have been used or invented for such purposes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,083,421 and 7,223,122, both by Kenneth Mori, describe certain examples. The '122 patent describes using a bracket and fasteners, such as screws, bolts, or a combination thereof, to mount an electronic device to an object, such as a desk or table. Additionally, clamps have been used to accomplish such attachments, and the '421 patent illustrates an electronic device that includes a mounting mechanism that clamps the electronic device over the edge of a desk or table, for example.
However, fasteners require holes to be drilled into the desk or table, and prior art clamps have required that sufficient force be exerted on the desk or table to overcome the worst-case scenario force tending to remove the electronic device from the desk or table. In some cases, some users were not strong enough to provide sufficient force on the clamp to accomplish the ideal clamping force, while other users were too strong, and applied excessive force or damaged the clamp or electronic device. In some instances, when excessive force was applied with a prior art clamp, the desk or table may have been damaged.
Thus, needs or potential for benefit exist for mechanisms for attaching electronic devices such as power strips to the edge of a desk table, or board, that provide only the amount of force against the desk, table, or board, that is required to hold the electronic device in place, or a reduced amount of such force that varies based on need. In addition, needs or potential for benefit exist for mechanisms for attaching electronic devices such as power strips to the edge of a desk, table, or board, that provide more consistent application of force against the desk, table, or board, independent of the strength of the user that installs the device. Furthermore, needs or potential for benefit exist for mechanisms for attaching electronic devices such as power strips to the edge of a desk, table, or board, that avoid damaging, or reduce the risk of damaging, the surface of the desk, table, or board, for instance.
Moreover, needs and potential for benefit exist for such mechanisms and devices (such as power strips) incorporating such mechanisms that are inexpensive to manufacture, reliable, easy to use, that have a long life, that are simple in operation so that typical operators can effectively use them, and that attach to a desk, table, or board (for example) adequately securely. Room for improvement exists over the prior art in these and other areas that may be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art having studied this document.